Combined Services vs Barbarians, Remembrance Match – Worcester wing who
was in the Royal Navy strikes twice to seal emotional game on Armistice Day

The realities of service life intruded on an otherwise enjoyable Remembrance Match, between the Combined Services and the Barbarians at Bath's Recreation Ground on Tuesday night.

This fixture is a highlight of the services rugby calendar but the day job comes first for soldiers, sailors and airmen, so wing Lloyd Owen, a Hercules pilot, and fly-half Nathan Huntley, a Royal Marine, missed out after they were called away on operational duties.

Both would have been in the thoughts of their team-mates who lined up for an emotional minute's silence on Armistice Day before kick off, but the Services were denied victory by one of their own.

Josh Drauniniu played for the Combined Services in this fixture while he was in the Navy but he is now a full-time player with Worcester Worcester in the Championship and his two try burst in nine second half minutes effectively decided the contest.

Only Chris Budgen, the former Exeter and Northampton prop, had played for the Barbarians before but a side comprised mostly of part-time players did the famous invitation club, and the coaching team of Phil Davies and Nigel Davies, proud.

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Steady rain made handling difficult but the Barbarians were given confidence by an early try from Cardiff flanker Jon Edwards and they did not panic when Peceli Nacamavuto, an Army engineer, scored an interception try from his own 22.

James Dixon, who was called up to replace Huntley, nudged the Services further ahead with a penalty early in the second half but Drauniniu levelled with his first try after a period of sustained pressure then took them back in front with a long range interception effort.

Luke Robinson's close range try briefly raised the Services' hopes of a fifth win in 15 meetings since this fixture began in 1997 but the Barbarians dashed them with late tries from Charlie Walker-Blair and replacement prop Alan Brown. .